International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has trained 27 journalists in Adamawa on effective first aid treatment for prospective casualties.

Speaking at the opening of the three-day training in Yola on Thursday, Communication Field Officer of the organisation, Mr Lemdi Edmond, took the participants through the genesis of first aid treatment to its present state.

According to Edmond, ICRC intervenes basically in crises involving arm conflicts translating into man-made or unnatural disasters.

He said that while the International Federation of the Red Cross intervened in the area of natural disasters, such as flood and earthquake, the National Red Cross Societies handle both natural and man-made situations.

Edmond identified the principles of the committee to include: humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence, among others.

On their parts, the First Aid and Pre-hospital Care Field Office in Yola and Abjua respectively, Charity Maxwell and Daniel Ebodor jointly exposed the participants to the meaning, relevance and significance of first aid.

The resource persons maintained that first aid was aimed at saving life, preventing conditions from further deteriorating and promoting speedy recovery.

They identified truthfulness, sympathy, resourcefulness, tolerance and empathy, among others, as qualities of a good first aider.

The resource persons also enumerated and extensively explained the primary survey variables relating to first aid, such as: danger, response, airway, breathing and chest compression.

Mr Philip Atanga, one of the participants, expressed appreciation to ICRC for the training.

Atanga said that the training had exposed him to the methods of providing humanitarian services, aside the journalism duties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants were engaged in first aid treatment practical on burns, fainting, fracture and bleeding, among others.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria